


When I First Met You

by kindredspiritsx



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29959068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindredspiritsx/pseuds/kindredspiritsx
Summary: One shots featuring Betty and Archie First Encounters.Mostly AU.Chapter 1: Betty's life is a wreck. After getting arrested for buying illicit drugs, Betty is now on probation.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	When I First Met You

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone.  
> I've decided to give a shot to writing Barchie as I am in love with this pairing since day 1.  
> I see a lot of potential and chemistry between them so writing one shots of their first encounters sounded fun to me.  
> Here is my first piece.  
> Please, let me know what you think and review.  
> XO

Nights like these were the worst.

Betty Cooper arrived at the club early for her shift after the disastrous dinner at home. Her mother and her new husband had been on her back ever since the sentence was given 3 weeks ago. Due to her immaculate record, Betty was lucky enough to be on probation as her mother loved to remind her. And dinner was all about inquiring about her whereabouts, oxy, her appointment with her appointed probation officer the next morning, and her father. God, she hated when they mentioned him. Hal Cooper. The biggest heartbreak of her life and her downfall. But judging by the fact her mother got quickly married with this Edgar – from god knows where– guy, for Alice Smith heartbreak was long forgotten.

Working as a bartender at 25 years old was not Betty Cooper’s idea of a steady and happy life. But hey, it paid the bills and it would do until she finally got her shit together. Wearing dark blue jean shorts and a simple black tank top, the blond walked behind the bar.

“Hey. Looks like you need a pair of extra hands” Betty said as she filled up an empty pint of beer.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to be here for another 2 hours?” The older asked raising an eyebrow and yet delivering two martinis at the two patrons across the counter.

“Are you complaining? My schedule cleared. Where’s Evie anyway? Thought I was replacing her behind the bar and not my overwhelmed boss…” She asked smirking, following her Roger’s rushed moves.

“Called in sick. Well, since you’re here, take over for me, will ya?”

“Sure.” Betty nodded as Roger left the bar to attend his actual administrative tasks in his office.

“What can I get you?” Betty asked for the hundredth time and prepared cocktails and other drinks until it was time to close.

When she got home, Betty quickly took a shower and went straight to bed. Her eyes closed as she drifted into sleep.

* * *

_“Come on, Betty, do it. You know you can’t fight it. It’s in you.”_

_Betty’s crying eyes rose to meet her father’s blue cold stare and then back at the gun she was holding._

_The pain from her leg throbbed and her head was spinning. What was going on? How could this be happening?!_

_“Please, dad. Please…”_

_“Stop crying. Pull the trigger, Betty. Kill him.”_

_Betty looked at the terrified man lying on the mud a few feet away and could feel his pleading eyes begging for mercy._

_“I can’t. I won’t!” The daughter shouted as she turned to her father, her gun now pointed at him._

_The swift movement provoked a gasp of pain as blood kept pouring out of her open wound.  
  
_

_She could not believe her father shot her. She could not believe she just found out the person tormenting her with anonymous calls was her father. She could not believe that the serial killer called the Black Hood was Hal Cooper. Her dad…_

_Hal was not impressed by his daughter’s act of bravado. Instead, he pointed his gun to her head._

_“Looks like you’re willing to play Russian Roulette. There’s only one bullet in the barrel of that gun, Betty. Mine, on the other hand, is full. Wanna see who dies first?”_

_Betty’s breath picked up as the meaning of her father’s words set in. She could die._

_No, she was going to die if she did not do as he asked._

_Tears poured down her face as her gaze went back on the poor injured man._

_“I’m sorry” she whispered before aiming the gun back towards the man._

_“This is who I am” Betty stated before pulling the trigger._

* * *

Betty jumped gasping for air as her nightmare woke her up yet again. It happened every night and each time the dream felt more vivid, as if she were really pulling that trigger. Instinctively, she reached for her knee and sighing in relief as she realized it was not bleeding. Pulling away the covers, Betty ran to her bathroom and turned on the lights before splashing her face with cold water. Her reflection in the mirror only took her back to that place at that time when she almost welcomed that dark side to cloud her judgement.

Betty pinched herself. Once. Twice.

“Ok, it’s just a dream” She told herself, knowing she could not get back to sleep.

Going back to her room, she sat in her room clenching her hands hard.

“You got this.”

Not thinking about it was near impossible but what was worse was the urge to take the pills that made it all feel better. The pills that led her to court for buying illicit drugs.

Flashes kept coming and Betty was losing control. It was bad. She had to do something.

Checking the clock, the blonde decided to go for an early walk. At 5:30 A.M, she would barely meet anyone outside and could focus on…not thinking.

The fresh air hitting her face helped. It was soothing in a way and that was what Betty needed.

She walked like this for half an hour when she started to feel her knee ache.

* * *

Archie Andrews jogged back to his place when he heard a strangled sound at the back alley of his building. He stopped in his tracks and looked around him before stepping carefully towards that sound.  
  
“Hello?” He asked hesitantly, the lights from the lamps on the street encouraging him to check what seemed to be a frail figure of a woman

There he saw a woman, sitting on the ground and crying. Her hair covered half her face, but he could tell she was hurting. His eyes looked down her small figure and rested on her hands. Her palms were both open.  
On her left hand, she was holding a piece of paper or a picture maybe. From there he could barely see. On her right hand, he saw a bottle of pills.

“Miss, do you need help? Let me call an ambulance or…”

That was then he saw her face. Betty’s eyes met Archie’s in confusion as if she just realized she wasn’t alone anymore.

“What?” She asked confused before the man’s eyes went back to the hand holding the pills. He obviously got the wrong idea.

“I didn’t take any. Just…trying to make the right decision here, pal.”

Both remained silent for a bit before Archie spoke again.

“If you ask me, anything involving drugs is the wrong decision. I pick the left hand.” He mentioned to the picture she was holding.

Betty smiled as she looked at the happy picture in her left hand.

“Is that your family?” the red-haired man asked as he stepped closer.

“Yeah…it is.”

“Do you mind if I sit with you?” Archie’s beautiful deep eyes searched for Betty’s troubled ones and when he found no resistance, he sat beside her.

“Do you often sit with strangers in dark alleys at 6 in the morning?” The blonde shot at him as she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“I just moved here actually. Perhaps this will turn into a routine, who knows? How about you? Do you often wander off in dark alleys making life changing decisions?” Archie answered good naturally with a small smirk.

Betty wiped her tears and looked at him. Truly looked at him. He was a very handsome man, fit, tall and his eyes…well, they held no judgment there, something she was not used to seeing.

“Well, let’s not make this a habit then.” The blonde said genuinely and smiled at the man beside her, thankful.

“Alright then. How about a warm cup of coffee? I live on the second floor” Archie said pointing at a window.

“As tempting as it sounds, I probably should head home. I have an early appointment this morning. Part of the whole life changing stuff that’s going on right now…” Betty remained as vague as possible as she got off the ground and adjusted her clothes. The last thing she wanted was for this kind man to run off if she told him she was meeting with her probation officer for the first time today.

Archie got up and nodded, leading them both out of the alley.

“I’m Betty, by the way.”

Archie smiled as he looked at her delicate smile lighten her face. She was beautiful.

“Nice to meet you, Betty, I’m …” They were interrupted as Archie’s phone rang.

“I’m sorry I gotta take this.” Archie pulled out his phone and Betty nodded.

“No of course. I better go anyway. Thank you, for… you know…”

Archie held out a finger as if to tell her to wait and picked up his phone.

When his phone call was over and he turned around to resume his conversation with Betty, she was already gone.

* * *

Betty arrived on time at her appointment with her probation officer. She was not looking forward to this, but this was not an option. The judge was clear. She had to meet with him once a month and follow the rules. And deep down, Betty knew it was her one shot to not screw up and finally put it all behind her. She had to move on from all this or she would drown.

“Mrs Cooper. Your probation officer is ready for you now.”  
  
Betty nodded at the secretary as she took a deep breath and knocked at the door.

“Please, come in.” A male voice said as the blonde entered the room.

“Miss Cooper, I am Archie Andrews, your probation officer. Please, take a seat.”

Archie’s eyes met hers and Betty’s face fell.

This could not be happening.

The strangers in the alley this morning. Here. He was…him.

_Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit._


End file.
